Firing mechanism for automatic firearms



NOV. 30, 1943. F, T, MOORE Y 2,335,688

` Fmme Mncmmsm Fon Au'romnc mamans Filed nec; 1o, 1940'I 2 sheets-sheet 1 Edda administrator .F/zaenz Etats Banff and Nov. 3o, 1943. F.. T. MRE

FIRING MECHANIS-M FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS l Filed Dec. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 regecsase his admmistrataz .E .Phoenix .Stat

e it ndust @ang/DEW Patented Nov. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES ENT OlCE 2,335,688 Frame MECHAMSM Fon AUTOMATIC FIREARMS of Connecticut Application December 10, 1940, Serial No. 369,428 claims. (c1. ssa-3) The present invention relates to automatic rearms, and more particularly to ring mechanism for recoil operated automatic firearms.

In Browning Patent 1,525,065, the ring mechanism includes a firing pin having guided movement through a vertically reciprocable breech block. A hammer has guided movement in a lock frame reciprocably mounted in the breech casing and the hammer is held in cocked position by a sear pivotally mounted on the lock frame. In said patent, the trigger lever for releasing the sear from engagement with thehammer is also on the lock frame, and to insure that the sear will not be tripped to Arelease the hammer until the breech block is in its full breech closing position, said patent provides intermediate mechanism between the triggerA lever and sear to avoid direct engagement of the Sear by the trigger lever. This intermediate mechanism is positioned by the breech block actuating lever itself so as to permit release of the sear and hammer only when the breech block has been established in its full breech closing position by the actuating lever. The principal general object of the present invention is to provide relatively simple but positively certain mechanism to avoid misring by assuring releasing movement of the sear by the trigger lever only when the breech block is in its full breech closing position. This is accomplished by providing that the means for tripping or effecting release of the sear is established in sear releasing operative position by the breech block itself and is ineffective unless and until the breech block is established in its full breech closing position.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the construction and mounting of the trigger lever whereby it will move away from the sear release if the trigger is pulled and thel breech block is not in its full breech closing position; but, on the other hand, if the breech block is in its full breech closing position the trigger lever will move toward and against the sear release to trip it and effect firing when the trigger is pulled.

Under the present invention the sear, sear release, and hammer are carried by the lock frame, Y

the` firing pin is mounted in the breech block, and the trigger bar in thel casing as in Patent 1,525,065, but all other parts of the iiring mechanism are carried by the barrel extension.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the now preferred embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that the drawings are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an automatic firearm embodying the invention with the right side of the breech casing broken away, and with parts shown in section. In this view the breech is open, a cartridge being inserted, and the movable parts are shown in the positions they occupy just prior to closing the breech.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of mechanism embodying the invention shown in the same relative position as in Fig. 1 but illustrated on an enlarged scale. y

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the breech block in full breech closing position and the mechanism ready for ring.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the trigger trip engaged by the breech block.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a barrel extension with mechanism embodying the invention applied thereto.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 6 designates the breech casing on which is mounted the feed boxl having a feed channel 8. The barrel 9 is connected to barrel extension i0 which is longitudinally reciprocable in the breech casing. The forward end of the barrel eXtensionhas a screw threaded bore receiving the rear end of the barrel, and rearwardly the barrel extension has left and right arms Il and l2 respectively (Fig. 5). The ejector I3 is mounted on arm II, and the lock frame I 4 (Figsf 1 and 2) is slidably mounted in and carried by the breechY casing and projects upward between arms il and I 2 of the barrel extension. An opening l5 is provided vertically in the forward end of the barrel extension and ribs I6 along opposite sides of the opening afford guided movement of the breech block l1 when the breech block is inserted into the opening with grooves in its sides receiving the ribs I6. The parts thus far mentioned are described in detail in the aforementioned Browning Patent 1,525,065.

To effect synchronized movement of the breech block relative to the barrel extension and barrel so that the breech will be opened and closed at predetermined exact intervals, substantially the same mechanism of said Patent 1,525,065 may be employed and certain essential parts thereof are shown in the drawings (Figs. 1 and 2) to clearly illustrate the present invention. Fig. 1 shows the breech block in its full open position with the breech block actuating mechanism about to engage the breech block and establish it in its full closed position of Fig. 3. The breech block is provided in its lower end with a T-slot I8 to receive studs I9 on the actuating lever 29 piv-VV otally mounted between depending lugs 2 Il on the lock frame.

lock frame causes the lever to rotate in a counterclockwise direction due to the action of the studs 22 and 24 against their cooperating cam surfaces. This action causes the studs I9 to enter T-slot I8, and continued forward movement of the lock frame causes the lever through studs I9 to elevate the breech block to close the breech. A notch 2l in the rear wall of opening I5 receives studs VI9 after the breech block reaches its full breech closing position, as shown in Fig. 2, to lockv the breech block in closed position during firing. As has been previously mentioned, in the gun shown in Patent 1,525,065, the trigger lever for releasing the sear from engagement with the hammer is operated through intermediate mechanism interposed between the trigger lever and sear, and positioned by the actuating lever of the 'breechblock during its breech closing movement, to permit firing only when the .breech block reaches its full closed position. The present invention provides an improvement over the sear releasing means of the said patent, and is operable directly by the breech block itself.

In'the drawings the numeral 28 designates the trigger trip which is pivoted on a support specically shown as stud 29 mounted through theright side of the barrel extension. The upper face of the barrel extension is formed to receive the trigger trip which has two arms 30 and 3l connected by a crossbar 32 through which the stud 2.9 extends to pivotally mount the trigger trip at the top of the barrel extension. The arm 3i is movable in a slot provided in the upper surface of the barrel extension and projectsslightly into the opening I5 in the barrel extension within which the breech block is slidably mounted. rIhe said projecting end of the arm 3l is designatedby the numeral SI and has a rounded surface for contact by the top of the breech block. The arm 3i! has its free end oset laterally to lengage the trigger connector presently described, the oifset end of the arm 39 being designated by the numeral 33.

A trigger lever 34 is pivotally connected at 35 to the trigger lever connector 36 and is also pivotally mounted at its lower end on a support specically shown as a Ystud 3'! supported by the barrel extension. The trigger lever is bifurcated so that the trigger lever connector 36 can be mounted between the arms 33 and 39 to receive the pin or rivet 35 extending through the two arms .of the trigger lever and the trigger lever connecter. Thus under certain conditions as will be presently explained, the trigger lever 34 and trigger lever connector 33 move as a unit on the pivot 3l, While'under other conditions the trigger The lever 2D is also vprovided withv studs 22 adapted to cooperate with cam `surfaces lever moves on its pvot 3l while the trigger lever connector shifts laterally with pivot 35.

The trigger lever connector is in the nature of a bell crank lever having an arm 40 extending toward the trigger trip 28 and disposed under the end 33 of the trigger trip arm 39. The other arm 4I extends downwardly and its end is bent inwardly, as indicated by 43, to extend through 4opening 44 in the barrel extension to engage the engage with teeth 49 and notch 50 therebetween so that the plunger is properly held in operative position with respect to the trigger lever connector. vThe trigger trip is not biased by the action of the spring plunger which exerts a force against the trigger lever and trigger lever connector, but is freely movable on its pivot 29.

The construction and arrangement of the controlling means for the ring mechanism is such that when the trigger trip is not properly held against movement by the breech block in a predetermined position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the trigger lever may move freely on its pivot 31 which causes the arm 4I of the trigger lever to move away from the sear release 42; but when the trigger trip is held in the position of Figs. 3

and 4 by the breech block which occurs onlyk when the breech block is exactly established in full breech closing position, then the arm 49 of the trigger lever connector is blocked against swinging movement by the end 33 of the trigger trip but may have sliding movement relative to the trigger trip. Also the trigger lever 39 can move on its pivot 31 which causes a reverse movement of the arm 4I of the trigger lever connectorV whereby it engages andmoves the sear release 42.

Referring to Fig. 2, the trigger lever 34, trigger lever connector 35, and trigger trip 23 are lshown in full lines in the positions they occupy when the breech block is down or in open position, and the parts are shown in dotted lines in the position they are compelled to assume if the breech block is not in full breech closing position when the trigger bar 5| is pulled against the upper end of the arm 39 of the trigger lever. It will be noted that the trigger lever 34 and trigger lever connector 36 then move as a unit on the pivot 31 which causes the end of the arm 4l to move away from the sear release 42. Referring now to Fig. 4, the trigger lever 34 and trigger lever connector 36 are shown in full lines in the same position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. However, it will be noted that in Fig. 4 the trigger trip 28 has been rocked on its pivot by the force of the breech block exerted against end 3l, and in this position the breech block is firmly locked in breech closing'position by the means previously described. Consequently, when the trigger bar 5I is pulled to exert force against the upper end of arm 39 of the trigger lever in a rearward direction, the trigger lever 34 and trigger lever connector 36 are compelled to move to the dotted line position of Fig. 4. It will be noted that the pivot 35 has been shifted when the trigger lever swung on its pivot 37. The arm 4Q had sliding movement relative to the trigger trip during shifting of pivot 35, and the arm 4l was moved against the scar release 42 sufficiently to trip the sear and release the hammer, not shown in this application, but shown in said Patent 1,525,065.

What is claimed is:

l. In an automatic rearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of the barrel, a lock frame movably carried by the casing, ring mechanism operable by movement of said lock frame, a support xedly positioned with respect to the barrel, and means movably carried by said support and having a portion operable by the breech block during its movement to breech closing position to effect release of the firing mechanism only when the breech block is established in full breech closing position. Y

2. In an automatic rearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of the barrel, a lock frame movably carried by the casing, ring mechanism operable by movement of said lock frame, a support iixedly positioned with respect to the barrel and means movably carried by said support and having a portion engageable by said breech block during its movement in breech closing direction and operable by the breech block during said movement to render said ring mechanism operable only when said breech block arrives at its full breech closing position.

3. In an automatic firearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoin with the barrel, a breech block guided or. the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of the barrel, a lock frame movably carried by the casing, ring mechanism carried by said lock frame, means movable to release the firing mechanism, a support ixedly positioned with respect to the barrel and means movably carried by said support and having portions respectively disposed in the paths of movement of the breech block and said means to release theflring mechanism, said means carried by said support being positionalole by the breech block to render'the means for releasing the firing mechanism eiective only when the breech block is in full breech closing position.

4. In an automatic rearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close breech of the barrel, a lock frame carried by the casing. iirine,r mechanism carried by said lock frame, means to release the ring mechanism, means mounted on the barrel extension and disposed in the paths of movement of the breech block and said means te release the firing mechanism and positionable by the breech block to render the means for releasing the firing mechanism effective only when the breech block is in full breech closing position. 5. In an automatic firearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of thebarrel, a lock frame carried by the casing, firing mechanism carried by said lock frame, a trigger bar to release the firing mechanism, a support xedly positioned with respect to the barrel a trigger lever movably carried by said support and operable by said trigger bar, and means operable by the breech block to render movement of the trigger lever by the trigger bar effective to release the ring mechanism only when the breech block is in full breech closing position, said means being between said trigger lever, firing mechanism and the breech block.

6. In an automatic rearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of the barrel, a lock frame carried by the casing, ring mechanism carried by said lock frame, a trigger bar to release the ring mechanism, a trigger lever pivoted on the barrel eX- tension and operable by said trigger bar, and

means on said barrel extension operable by the breech block to render movement of the trigger lever by the trigger bar effective to release the ring mechanism only when the breech block is in full breech closing position, said means being between said trigger lever, firing mechanism and the breech block.

7. In an automatic iirearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the c-ombinati-on of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of the barrel, a lock frame carried by the casing, firingmechanism including a seal' and sear release carried by the lock frame, a support xedly positioned with respect to the barrel a trigger lever movably carried by said support and having a part adapted to actuate the sear release and eiect firing, means to operate said trigger lever, 'and means to cause the sear release actuating part of said trigger lever to move away from the sear release when said trigger lever operating means is operated with the breech block not in full breech closing position and to move against said sear release to effect firing when the breech-block is in full breech closing position.

8. In an automatic rearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of the barrel, a lock frame carried by the casing, ring mechanism including a scar and sear release carried by the lock frame, a trigger lever pivotally mounted on the barrel extension and having a part to actuate the sear release andeifect firing, means to operate said trigger lever,-

and means .to cause the Ysear release actuating part of said trigger lever to move vaway from the sear release when said trigger lever operating means is operated with the breech block not in full breec-h closing position and to move against said sear release to eiect ring when the breech block is in full breech closing position.

9. In an automatic rearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon .recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of the barrel, a lock frame carried by the casing, firing mechanism including a sear and sear release carried by the lock frame, a support xedly positioned with respect to the barrel a trigger lever movably carried by said support and having a part adapted to actuate the sear release and effect tiring, means to operate said trigger lever, and means responsive to movement of the breech block to cause the sear release actuating part of said trigger lever to move away from the sear release when said trigger lever operating v means is operated with the breech block not in full breech closing position and to move against said sear release to effect ring when the breech block is in full breech closing position.

10. In an automatic nrearm including a casing with a barrel at the front there-of, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating i movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of the barrel, a lock frame carried by the casing, ring mechanism including a sear and sear release carried by the lock frame, a trigger lever having a part to actuate the sear release and effect firing, means to operate said trigger lever, and means on the barrel extension responsive to movement of the breech block to cause the sear release actuating part of said trigger lever to move away from the sear release when said trigger lever operating means is operated with the breech block not in full breech closing position and to move against said sear release to effect firing when the breech block is in full breech closing position.

11. In an automatic firearm including a casing with a barrel at the front thereof, the combination of a barrel extension in the casing for longitudinal reciprocating movement upon recoil and counter-recoil with the barrel, a breech block guided on the barrel extension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof to open and close the breech of the barrel, a lock frame carried by the casing, ring mechanism carried by said lock frame, a sear release, pivotally connected levers one of whic-h is pivotally mounted on the barrel extension and supporting the other independent of the barrel extension, a trip member movable by the breech block during its breech closing movement and held in a predetermined position by the breech block when in its full breech closing position, said other of the pivotally connected levers having an arm engageable with the trip member and another arm engageable with the' sear release, said one of the pivotally connected levers being operable by the trigger of the firearm, and the arrangement being such that the levers move as a unit when the trip member is not held in said predetermined position by the breech block with said other lever moving away from the sear release but said levers being relatively movable when the trip member is held in said predetermined position by the breech block whereby said other lever moves against the sear release to eiect firing.

12. Control means for the iiring mechanism of automatic rearms of the recoil operated type having a sear release and a reciprocable barrel extension provided with a breech block reciprocable therein to and from full breech closing position, said control means comprising in combination with said barrel extension, a trip mem.- ber on the barrel extension adapted to be Operated by the breech block, a lever pivotally mounted on the barrel extension, `a second lever pivotaliy supported by the first lever and adapted to engage the sear release, and means normally maintaining said levers in respective predetermined positions, said second lever having one portion engageable with said trip member and another portion movable from its predetermined position toward its sear release engaging position when the rst lever is moved on its pivot and the breech block is in full breech closing position andthereby adapted to hold the trip member in a predetermined position for engagement by said one portion of said second lever.

13. Control means for the ring mechanism of automatic iirearms of the recoil operated type having a breech casing, a reciprocable barrel extension, a loc-k frame movably carried by the breech casing, firing devices including a sear and Vsear release carried by the lock frame, and a breech block slidably mounted on the barrel eX- tension for reciprocating movement transversely thereof, said control means comprising in combination with said barrel extension, a trip bar pivotally mounted on the barrel extension with one end adapted to be disposed in the path of movement of the breech block and also adapted to be engaged by the breech block as it approaches breech closing position, a trigger lever on the barrel extension, and a connector pivotally supported by the trigger lever and adapted to be positioned thereby to engage the sear release and also be moved by the trigger lever away from its sear release engaging position when the breech block is not in its full breech closing position but said connector also being movable to its sear release engaging position to effect ring when the breech block is in full breech closing position and in which position said connector is adapted to normally hold the trip bar in a pre- Y determined position for engagement by the breech block.

14. In combination with the firing mechanism ci a recoil operated firearm including a barrel extension and a breech block supported thereby for transverse reciprocating movement relative thereto to open and close the breech, a trigger lever to manually eiIec-t release of the iiring mechanism pivotally mounted on the barrel eX- tension, a connector lever pivotally supported by the trigger lever and movable therewith as a unit and also movable relative thereto to effect ring when the breech block is in full breech closing position, and means operable directly by the breech block to control said movements of said levers whereby ring is possible only when the breech block is in its full breech closing posiion.

15. In combination with the firing mechanism of a recoil operated iirearm including a barrel extension and a breech block supported thereby for transverse reciprocating movement relative thereto to open and close the breech, a trigger lever to manually eiect release of the rng mechanism pivotally mounted on the barrel extension, a connector lever pivotally supported by the trigger lever and movable therewith as a unit and also movable relative thereto to effect firing when the breech block is in full breech closing position, and a trip lever pivotally mounted on the barrel extension with one end positioned for engagement by the breech block and its other end engageable with the connector lever and effective to cause said relative ring movements of the trigger and connector levers only when the breech bloc-k is in its full breech closing position.

10 Administrator of the Estate of Frederick T` M ome, Deceased.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,555,688. November 50, 19i5.

FREDERICK T. MOORE, DECEASED- It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed Aspecification of the above numbered patent reqniring'correctionae follows: Page 5, first column, lines 55 and 55, same page, second column, lines lb. and 5l, and page ll, first column, line 18, after the word "barrel" insert a comma; page 5, first column, line 4.5, for "counter-recoill read -counter-recoi1; and that the said Letters Patent should-be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of Februar A. D. 19h14..

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Conmissioner of' Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctionas follows; Page 5, first column, lines 55 and 55, same page, second column, lines Il; and 5l, and page L, first column, line 18, after the word "barrel" insert a comma; page 5, first column, line h5, for "counter-recoill" read --counter-reooi1; and that the said Letters Patent should-be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the oase in the Patent Office.

signed and Sealed this 15th day of February, A. D. 19ML.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of' Patents. 

